HARRISBURG, PA — Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday announced criminal charges against Seneca Resources, LLC, alleging that the natural gas company repeatedly violated state environmental laws and ignored multiple warnings from regulators.
According to the Attorney General’s Office, three criminal complaints were filed against Seneca Resources, which now faces 64 counts under the Solid Waste Management Act and 36 counts under the Clean Streams Law. The charges stem from what investigators described as years of improper waste management practices across several Pennsylvania counties, including Lycoming, Tioga, Potter, Clearfield, Elk, McKean, Jefferson, and Cameron.
The allegations include claims that Seneca injected wastewater into unconventional gas wells and failed to comply with Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) orders. In one Cameron County incident, a well rupture allegedly contaminated drinking water at a nearby home.
“Every Pennsylvanian has a constitutional right to pure water, and these cases resulted in violations of those rights,” Attorney General Sunday said. “In one example, a couple’s home — which they worked their entire lives to afford — was subjected to contaminated water. Such outcomes will not be tolerated, and I commend our Environmental Crimes Section for their work in this case.”
Investigators allege that Seneca continued certain waste disposal practices even after receiving written instructions from DEP to halt operations pending further review. Prosecutors claim that the company’s decision to proceed with unapproved flushing procedures in Cameron County worsened water contamination by pushing pollutants deeper into surrounding groundwater.
The case is being prosecuted by Chief Deputy Attorney General Rebecca Franz.
All charges are allegations, and Seneca Resources, LLC, is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
For the latest news on everything happening in Chester County and the surrounding area, be sure to follow MyChesCo on Google News and MSN.